Eternal.

Chapter Seven

Easter morning my phone buzzed twice very loudly. I sleepily rolled over on my bed to see what time it was. My phone said it was 7:31. With one eye open I held the phone above my face and read the texts I had gotten.  They were both from Alex. The first one said:

Good morning

The second one wrote:

I can’t wait to see you today, though I’m a little nervous about meeting your grandparents.

That’s right; I was going to take Alex with me to my grandparent’s house for Easter. My grandparents live in a city two hours away. I only see them maybe two or three times a year. I got up out of bed and went into the bathroom. I stroked my hair with my paddle brush. Every dead half blonde strand made me hate it more. The light brown up top was a dull reminder of the color hair I was born with. I wished it were gone, every color my hair is and ever was. I wished my acne was gone, I wished I could get a push-up bra to work. I walked down stairs in a tank top and jeans, the wood floor felt like ice on my bare feet. I walked into the kitchen rubbing my eye not caring that I was smudging my make up from the day before. “Do you want an egg Brigitte?” My mother asked before I even noticed her. She was in her blue flower pajama pants and her matching sweater whisking up egg yolk in a green plastic bowl. “Sure” And I sat down at the little round table parallel to the island. I thought about what I’m going to wear, every family reunion I have always overdressed myself in dresses, straight hair and makeup. I had promised myself this year I wouldn’t do that. My phone made a buzz that vibrated the whole table.

To: Bridge

When are we leaving?

I texted back watching my mother pour egg into a black metal pan.

To: Alexavier

Around 11 I think.

To: Bridge

Okay, should I come over now?

I looked at the clock, it was only 8:05, and I wanted to go for a run before I got ready myself.

To: Alexavier

Wait an hour?

After breakfast I put on my sneakers, winded my hair in a ponytail and left the house running. I ran past the tree that towered the side walk in front of my neighbor’s fence. It was the tree Alexavier tried to climb in eighth grade. I had watched him lose his footing and scrape his calf, as I laughed and watched him go higher as he cursed the tree.

I ran past Alex’s house on the other side of the street. I could see lights were off; I looked to the only window on the third floor: Alex’s room. I imagined him just getting out of bed; I could almost feel him up there. He would smile at me and wave with his hair like a bird’s nest and his yellow teeth, if only he looked outside his window. I ran on. I passed his next door neighbor’s yard, the one he said had a strange old lady living there, with a Great Dane that barks at birds and chases you if you come near the yard. I noticed on the side of the yard there was a tree that hung over the fence from Alex’s side yard. It covered a green snake-like hose and a flower bed full of roses. Like the old woman harvested a sea of blood red flowers. I remembered the rose Alex had given me. I kept it next to my computer at home, it had been almost a week and the rose is lying there mostly dead on my lab report due Monday.  Every once in a while I look at it and remember the first kiss him and I shared; he always used this apple shampoo that smelled so indulgent. I turned off my street and ran faster toward the school.

When I got out of the shower after my run I found Alexavier sitting on my bed. I exited the bathroom and he looked up at me. I stopped in sheer embarrassment. I felt my cheeks get warm as I curled my toes on the carpet. Alex has seen me bounce up and down like a school girl, Alex has seen me cry an ocean, but never has he seen me in my robe. “Hello” he said, his voice showed no recognition of the hostile situation. “Hi” I said as I slowly walked to the other side of the bed, away from him. “You said an hour.” He mumbled as I knelt behind him on the bed. Ignoring I looked over at the dead rose that lay next to my computer. I wondered how Alex felt about me keeping it there. “I got this new shirt I was going to wear.” I said almost resting my hand on his back. “And you want me to leave the room.” He said as he stood up. From below he looked like the Pan Am building.